If you’re wondering what to plant in autumn, you may be thinking about low maintenance crops still capable of growing late in the season. Autumn is a great time to garden as more rainfall means less watering work. Plenty of tasty, hearty produce thrives in the cool climate, especially root and cruciferous vegetables. These plants taste delicious in a comforting fall soup, and add bright color to your home in the autumn months. Here is what to plant in autumn for your fall garden:
Carrots
You can plant a gorgeous batch of carrots in a deep pot. They need only a little light to grow, so house them under a window. They’re great to plant in the fall because their soil needs plenty of moisture—something chilly autumn days help retain. You don’t even need to feed the plant until the stalks have reached about three inches tall, at which point they’re almost ready to be picked.
Arugula
Autumn is when you crave salads with dried fruits and pumpkin seeds, and bitter arugula complements those perfectly. Arugula is another plant that thrives in moist soil and is easy to plant in small batches. Unlike other plants, it’s okay if the seedlings overlap, so you can spread them freely.
Turnips
Delicious baked in herbs, turnips are one of the easiest plants to grow. In fact, you can grow them in containers. Plants grown in containers require more water than most, but since you’re planting yours as part of a fall garden, that won’t be a problem. Once you perfect your soil, and your first turnip batch comes in, you can just pluck the bulbs and leave the roots, which will produce a new batch.
Beets
When considering what to plant in autumn, it’s important to choose crops that mature quickly. Beets are one of the fastest growing crops, often yielding ripe batches within two weeks of fall planting. Beets can handle a little frost, so you can plant them outside in later months. They also boast a lot of illness-fighting properties, which we all need as winter approaches.
Radish
Radishes are ideal for a fall home garden because they grow easily in pots or raised beds, meaning very little digging or soil work. Radishes don’t want much sun, so move your pots to the shade on bright autumn days.
Swiss Chard
Swiss Chard is another plant that you can grow indoors, so it’s perfect if you have a green thumb but are managing an autumn garden in cooler climates. Keep in mind that Swiss Chard wants light, just not heat. If you experience limited sun in the fall, invest in an artificial light for better fall gardening.
Chinese Cabbage
If you believe in the powers of cabbage soup when it comes to fighting off colds and the flu, you’re in luck—this stuff loves autumn. If you keep a very small autumn garden, Chinese Cabbage is perfect because you can plant the seeds close together, and pick the heads while they’re still small.
Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are the perfect vegetable to line your roasts in autumn. What makes Brussels sprouts especially suited to home gardening is that they grow vertically, all on their own, saving space for other crops. Brussels sprouts may require daily watering, so make use of the damp autumn air.
Leeks
Leeks, tofu, and vegetable broth make for a unique twist on miso soup. They also add a pleasant, sweet flavor to savory meat dishes. You can grow leeks in tight spaces, like a pot in your home, to save space. These are another plant that wants moist soil, but they also need about eight hours of light a day. Your artificial light, if you have one, might come in handy again.
Garlic
Here’s something you can use to flavor all of the new produce from your autumn garden. Since garlic boasts a lot of health benefits, it’s ideal for colder months. Garlic plants require very little space. In fact, you can grow some using just one little clove in a container in your kitchen. Garlic is a prolific crop, no matter how small the soil bed, so it’s great for compact kitchens.
When summer farmers markets have closed, and you want to avoid the traffic to the store, keeping a home garden is the perfect way to get fresh produce in the fall. If you know what to plant in autumn, you’ll never have an empty produce basket.